Letters from the Not-So-Dead
Thorin paused in beating a rug under the careful eyes of Missus Gamgee when he heard the screech of a raven. He turned his gaze skyward and saw not one, but an Unkindness of perhaps a dozen ravens.
"Oh, Mahal. What now?" He muttered.
"Hmm… Well Mister Thor, I'll leave you to deal with your birds and I'll deal with the rugs. Off you go now." Missus Gamgee shooed him away.
By the time Thorin had stopped in the kitchen and picked up the bowl of meat scraps they kept just of the ravens, the Unkindness had landed and were littering the branches of the tree in the next plot up from Bag End. He made his way out the gate and along the path, through a hole in the hedge and up the steps to the tree.
"Greetings. Do you all have letters?"
"We do, Thorin Oakenshield" Replied the dominate raven. "The letters carried from Erebor are numbered. There is also a raven from the Blue Hill with us, too."
"Thank you. If each of you would come down, I'll take your letter from you. There should be sufficient meat here for all of you, but if there isn't, send Roäc down to the smial and someone will bring more up for you. My thanks for your delivery."
After collecting all the letters and starting back the way he'd come, Thorin stopped at the gate to Bag End. He just that second realised that the raven had called him Thorin Oakenshield, not Thor Thundercloud. He hurried inside.
An hour later Fíli, Kíli and Tauriel returned from the markets bearing supplies. They saw Thorin sitting thoughtfully in the parlour as the made their way to the kitchen.
"When you finish with that, I've news from Erebor and the Blue Hill for you." Called Thorin.
"Yes, Uncle. Just be a minute." Responded Fíli.
When the three joined him, he started.
"There are four letters from Erebor and one from the Blue Hills. Start with this one." He handed one to the blonde dwarf.
To The Dwarroven Thundercloud
Master Smith, Bag End, Hobbiton, The Shire.
From Dáin Ironfoot,
Son of Náin, Son of Grór, King Under The Mountain.
Greetings Thor.
I am glad to hear you are settled in Hobbiton. Has your One returned yet, or does he still journey to you?
There is a rumour burrowing through Erebor that I find I do not want to staunch.
In brief the rumour says that Thorin Oakenshield did not die in battle but rather had no intention of taking the Throne of King Under the Mountain. Various different ways he survived, but all say the same thing about why he is not now king. One of the librarians corrected a soldier, who had said Thorin should have brought his One to Erebor and ruled together, by telling the soldier of The Seven Fathers Law regards the Consort Under the Mountain and how the Consort can only be someone born of a dwarrowdam. From that point on, whispers flew thick and fast. All who attended saw the grief of the Burglar Baggins for the fallen king. They also saw the pain of the she-elf when the body of the Fox Nero Kíli was recovered. Stories also of the close bond between the Fox Nero and his brother the Golden Lion, Crown Prince of Erebor abounded. Some are saying to separate the brothers is to bring the wrath of Mahal down on the Mountain. Others say that the three have left for love and the safety of Erebor and asked their Cousin to hold the Throne Under the Mountain in their stead.
I have decided to allow one of the crypt workers to leak that the Tombs of Thorin Oakenshield, Fíli the Golden Lion and Kíli Fox Nero are unfinished. I cannot officially announce until an advisor or Counsellor broaches the matter in Court. I do not think this will a long wait.
Daín.
"Oh, Mahal. Daín what have you done, Cousin?"
"This one next." Thorin handed over another piece of parchment.
Thorin Oakenshield,
Son of Thráin, Son of Thrór, Prince of the Line of Durin.
From Dáin Ironfoot,
Son of Náin, Son of Grór, King Under The Mountain.
Well, it's done now, cousin.
You have your name back. It didn't go quite the way I anticipated, but the end result was the same. I had thought it would be Geön or Tóln that would bring the matter to a head, but no. It was my own son, Thorin Stonehelm. He doesn't want to rule, just be a soldier. He burst into the Court and begged me that it be true and that I have the Law be changed so you could take the Throne instead of it ever passing to him.
Your Cousin
Daín.
"This is the third letter, Fíli." A letter marked with the symbol for 3*
Thorin Oakenshield,
Son of Thráin, Son of Thrór, Prince of the Line of Durin.
From Dáin Ironfoot,
Son of Náin, Son of Grór, King Under The Mountain
Cousin,
During my coronation I swore to tell the truth whenever I wore the Crown of Erebor, so yes cousin, I told the truth, or part of it at least, I did leave parts out. I told of how our distant cousin Dwalin was the one to discover you and the princes lived. I left out the tree-shagging ponce, (my apologies to Lady Tauriel, her fighting for Kíli and the way she mourned him have created a special place for her, the dwarrow of Erebor consider one of our own. She is officially named Akhzud-Báha* of Erebor.) instead I said that you had gone to the Shape-shifter's House to recover.
You publically gave your One a Courting gift, Mithril is a Gift worthy of a Prince. His Gift to you of Reclaiming Erebor is a Gift worthy of the Greatest of Kings and will be sung into legend, (And you can't stop us. Ha!). Such public Gifts make your Courtship Official, cousin.
When asked if the Formalities have be followed, I only said that you had spoken to the Thain of the Hobbits, who is also the Burglar Baggins' cousin, that the Princes had made the Family Gift and that the Thain had accepted them. That there was more than one gift, brought silence to the Audience Chamber. To be told that there were three sets of Chef-Master Knives and more than a dozen pocket blades only shows how much your One means to you and the regard you Family hold him in. I did say that Prince Kíli had presented the family of Tauriel Akhzud-Báha with a Family Gift of Durin Family Heirlooms, handed down, father to son and that they were accepted. This officially rules both you and Kíli out of any chance of ascending the throne. As for Fíli, no one wants to push the matter and risk the wrath of Mahal, especially my oh-so superstitious Council.
After much discussion, it actually came out that the Law applies to ALL Dwarrow Kings not just Kings Under the Mountain, the Seven Fathers set that Law up in such a way that no King can change it. My son is still sulking that he will have to rule, he's not happy about it at all. I'm going to send him to clean out Gundabad next year, so that should keep him busy for a few years.
Daín.
"Oh, no. Mother's not going to like this." Fíli groaned.
"You think? At least she can't blame us." Kíli whined.
"Oh! Oh, that is so true! Ha ha, Cousin Daín. You get to deal with Mother all by yourself!" Fíli giggled.
"Fíli, you know it's not going to be that easy." Thorin grumbled as he handed over the fourth letter.
Thorin Oakenshield,
Son of Thráin, Son of Thrór, Prince of the Line of Durin.
From Dáin Ironfoot,
Son of Náin, Son of Grór, King Under The Mountain
Cousin,
I have sent ravens to the Iron Hills, Ered Luin and The Blue Hills, telling of your survival, they will have arrived there before you get these. At least that was the plan.
Be ready for a blasting from you sweet sister. I can almost guarantee she will not be happy with my decree.
Now to your last official duty as a Prince of the Line of Durin.
Dwarrow from The Blue Hills and Ered Luin will have to pass through The Shire on their way East. There will be caravans from them both, but I have stipulated that there is to be no more than two a piece. From what maps I can find here, they will pass through the villages of Waymeet, Bywater and Stock before they cross the Brandywine River. Your duty is to meet with the Thain and assist him in co-ordinating with the caravan Leaders and the Rangers. I have sent a request to the Rangers for a guide for each Caravan as very few of the Dwarrow will know the route they are to travel.
Once the fourth caravan has crossed the Brandywine River it will be Official. You and the two Princes will be retired from Royal Duties. You will no longer in the line of succession.
Just to make things even more difficult for you and the lads, I'm posting Dís as envoy to the Thain, so she will be staying in The Shire. Whether she returns to Erebor first or not is up to her. Deal with it!
Let me know when the Weddings are going to be, Gwaihir says he would like to attend and will have his Eagles transport a small party to The Shire. Apparently the Eagles are Romantics. There's a small contingent of stone masons working to clear space for the Eagle Eyre on the high reaches and they've an animal speaker among them, who has been telling the tales of the Courtship of the Burglar Baggins and the near tragic romance of Tauriel Akhzud-Báha and Prince Kíli. The Eagles revel in romantic ballads and stories. When I was up there yesterday they sounded like a bunch of old dwarrowdams gossiping about their favourite courtiers. Bleh.
Anyway, that's it. Now you just get to deal with your sister.
Daín.
Both Fíli and Kíli groaned, but Kíli reached out a hand for the last letter. He could see their Mother's handwriting.
Thorin Oakenshield,
Son of Thráin, Son of Thrór, Prince of the Line of Durin.
From Dís,
Daughter of Thráin, Son of Thrór, Princess of the Line of Durin.
Brother!
What have you done now?
I am so tempted to go to Erebor and thump Daín. How dare he do this to my boys. The only good thing about this it that I don't have to sneak away to see my boys. I will attend their Weddings and have a chance to get to know their One's.
Alright. Back to business.
There's not as many dwarrow from the Blue Hills that want to move to Erebor as first thought. Not if you are not King. Our own Law Keepers have confirmed the Seven Fathers Law and very few dwarrow here hold it against you, giving up the throne for you One. Of those that do, none of them have found their One and a couple I will be very glad to get rid of. I have called for expressions of interest, but have stated that no more than 200 dwarrow will head East. I think we can manage 200 in one caravan, can't we? I plan to stop at Duillond for a few nights before we enter The Shire. We should be able to get everyone to Bywater for the first night and hope to get them across the Brandywine river the next day. Do you think feasible or are our maps not correct?
Vili's sister Toli and her husband, Dwagor have chosen to go and as Dwagor is well respected by most, I have asked him to be Caravan Leader. At least I know that Toli will make him listen to the Ranger's advice.
It's a long journey for our people and my advisors and I have decided that the caravan will leave here immediately after the spring melt and the flood-waters recede. This should have the caravan reaching Erebor by late summer to early autumn.
To give Dwagor (and Toli) a chance to gain some experience in controlling a large group, I am leaving them to administer the Halls here, I am planning a visit to Hobbiton, I want to see my boys. Because there is so much planning to be done, for the caravan, for my new posting and for my little holiday, it looks like I won't get a chance to leave here for a month yet.
Oh, how I miss my boys. Give me both a hug for me. I hope they are behaving well? Why haven't they written to me yet? Did they break their hands?
What of Kíli's One, Tauriel? Your letters were very sparse on details, brother. Please tell me more about her. Her favourite food? Favourite colour? Favourite Gem? Her trade? Her family? Why can't you tell me any of these?
You are a dreadful brother!
My love to you all.
Dís
"Well. We need to go and see the Thain again." Says Kíli after reading Dís' letter.
"Why is that, mel min?" asked Tauriel.
"Mother will need somewhere to stay and accommodation at Bindbole isn't anywhere near ready. And I don't think it's too smart an idea to let Bilbo and Mother get too friendly. Do you Uncle?"
"Oh, no. No, no, no. No way is she staying here. We'll go see Fortimbras tomorrow. We need something set up so that when you write to your mother tomorrow, you can tell her about it. It has to be in Hobbiton, though." Snarled Thorin.
"Perhaps we can build something. Is six weeks enough time to build a dwarf-styled smial for her? If we call the Company back?" Tauriel suggested.
"Perfect, Tauriel. We'll go see Fortimbras tomorrow and you lot can work with Ferumbras drawing ups plans. I'm going head up the raven's tree and get someone to take a message to Daín telling him he's as useless as an Orc in a diamond mine." With that Thorin left the younger folk in Bilbo's drawing room and went looking for some more meat to take up to the raven's tree.
Ahhzud-Báha = Dwarf Friend (the highest honour a king can bestow officially)